Daniel knowles



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. KNOWLES. PIRE BSGAPB.

No. 472,950. PatentedApr. Z 1892.

(No Model.)

- 3Sheets-Sheet 2. D. KNOWLES.

FIRE ESCAPE. N0. 472,950.

Patented Apr. 12,- 1892.

lll

memonnla Penas co., moro-umm, wnsnmnwn. o. c.'

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

f D. KNOWLES.

PIRE ESCAPE.

N0.472.950. Patented Apr. 12! 1892.

1l mii A UNITED STATES ltion'.

ATENT.;v OFFICE. l

DANIEL KNowLns, on NoRroLILvIReINIA, AssIeNoR onr ONE-FOURTH To GEORGEW. .IoHNsoN, oFsAME PLACE.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,950, dated April12, 1892.l

Application filed March' 24, 1891.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL KNowLEs, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia,have invented certain new and use-- ful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in fire-escapes, the object beingto provide an escape which shall be more easily and safely used thanthose heretofore employed with which I am acquainted.

One of the main objects is to provide rigidV ing by dotted lines thepositions of the parts when they are placed adjacent to a building topermit escape therefrom and showing by full lines the positions occupiedbythe parts after they have been lowered. Fig. 3 is a cross-section ofthe rope-drum or windlass, showing the means of applying a frictionband.Fig. 4 is a perspective of a modifica- Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views ofdetached parts. lIn the drawings, A represents a post, column, or mastof such form,length, and material as will make it suitable for thepurposes to be described. Ordinarily a tubular iron column can beemployed, sunk to such a depth in the earth or in a foundation as to bermly held in place. Upon this are adjustably supportedA the platform,ladders, and other parts of the escape.

The platformv is indicated by B, comprising a suitable frame-work andfloor. The framework may be formed of angle irons and the Serial No,386,241. (No model.)

Vmast or column A by means of a tubular carrier C, sufficiently long andthickr to give the requisite support. Braces c of a suitable number maybe combined with the tubular holder and the platform to give therequisite 55 strength. In fact, the platform may be constructed in anyway preferred, and braces, girts, and other like parts can be employedto meet the requirements of each occasion. Preferably the platformextends on each side 6o somewhat beyond the ladders, in order lo permita passage around the ladder, and it is also extended considerably beyondthe post A, to providestanding room.

From the platform B there arise at an inclination ladders or stairwaysEF, of .a number corresponding tothe number of the floors or stories inthe buildings. These, also, as concerns their details, maybe constructedin any suitableway and of Aany preferred mate- 7o yterial. `As shownhere, each comprises longitudinal angle-iron .bars c e, upon which liiatsteps e are secured, and upon one or both sides a railing, as at e2, isattached, which latter, preferably, at one or both sides ext-ends 75upward, as at e3, at the upper end. These ladders may be more or lessvertically adjustable either at their outer and upper ends orthroughout. Said ends may be made adjustable by hinging the lowerendsand pro- 8o viding properly movable supports for the upper ones; butfor all ordinary purposes I prefer 'to attach them rigidly throughoutand support them firmly by means of braces or standards, as shown at GG', and of which 85 any suitablev number can be used. The distance ofthe upper end of ladder F from the y platform B and that'between theends of the ladders E and F can be properly adjusted for each buildingwhen initially constructing the 9o mechanism-that is to say, said twodistances Will be made equal to thatbetween the Windows of the secondand thirdl stories on the one hand and of the third and fourth on theother.

=The escape shown is designed for a fourstory building, and is intendedto permit an escape from either or all of the second, third,

flooring of sheet iron. It is connected to the 5o i of novalue.

an exit from the window it is'possible for a, relatively weak or-timorous person to have` Experience has shown that the ordinaryfire-escapes, having ladders with, verticallyarranged ro unds, can notbedepended on under many'circumstances. First, for timorous and 'weakpersons they are practically useless under the most favorablecircumstances, and, secondly, when lire breaks through windows adjacentto them the heat imparted to them, as well as the smoke and flame,renders them In my case, as soon as there is substantially the samesupport when descending as when coming down an ordinary stairs way, andevery step removes one farther from the fire.

From the platform B escape can be effected either after it has beenlowered or by means of rope ladders H, or hand-ropes H2-H2, which InFig. 1 they are shown as attached to a rod H', j

may be supported in any suitable way.

employed for that purpose.

In order to elevate and lower vthe platform and the parts securedthereto,- I employ acable or rope, as at I. It passes over pulleysinblocks of any suitable sort and arranged in any preferred way. Asshown,'the rope is l attached to the block at J, it passing vthenceunder a pulley J', thence back to a pulley at J, thence to a secondpulley J', thence to pulley at .Land thence downward to a windlas's ordrum K. Upon this it may be wound in any suitablev Way, as by means of acrank-shaftl l',

having pinions-L L, adapted to engage withtoothed wheels la on the drum.

In order to accurately regulate the descent of the platform, I combinewith the windlass a friction-brake. It consists of a band Msurvroundingas much as possible of a friction disk or cylinder N'. vThe details ofVthis part of the mechanism can also be ofanypreferred sort. As shown,the band M is secured at m to a carrier, and the other end at m isconnected to a chain O, which passes over a sheave oandcarries a weightP, of such size as to properly hold the band M.

Q is a lever pivoted to the 4platform and having at q an engagement withthe chain O, so that an operator can lift up on weight P sufficiently torelease the friction-brake; but in order to prevent 'the entirerelieving of the friction I limit the play of the lever Q by means' ofan adjustable stop, as at R.

The pulley and block at J are shown as being swiveled to the upper endof the post,

column, or mast A, so that when the platform,

the ladders, andthe attached parts are turned around said post or columnthe rope will maintain the same position relatively thereto at alltimes, and binding or tangling be prevented. A rope-s uch as one ofthose at HL-can be used to effect the turning of the platform around thepost or column.

By referring to Fig. 2 the mode of operat. ing my improved escape willbe readily understood. The platform and parts attached may at ordinarytim'es be left turned partly away from the building, if desired, andlocked so as to prevent the entrance o f burglars; but I intend,ordinarily, to have the parts of the escape in proper position Ainrelation to the building, at which'time, of course,',such ladders orescape-ropes as those at I-I H2 will be rolled up or otherwise placedupon the platform. In case of fire the mode of using the device willbeunderstood from the above de-` scription, in connection with thedrawings. If the platform B becomes loaded with persons, it can-besafely and rapidly lowered by means of the friction-drum, 4and after theparties thereon have stepped off it can -be again rapidly elevated bymeans of the ropewinding devices at L andK.

An escape of this character can be advantageously situated in the areasor yards of.

lhotels or houses, where it is not desirable to place them upon thestreet side..

There can be modification of the mechanism herein shown in severalrespects. The friction-brake can be applied to the rising and fallingplatform in ways dilferin g more or less vfrom that specificallyillustrated without departing from the essential features'of theinvention. y l

I am of course aware of the fact that lire-l escapes havebeen heretoforeconstructed or kproposed having rising and falling platforms or cars;but, so far as I know, the said earlier two classes, the firstcomprising thosewhich Were mounted upon Wheels and had their va- IOO IOS

Amechanisms have been of onelor the other of IIO rious parts soconstructedv and related that it was impossible vto secure any rotationhorizontally-of the platform independently of its vertical support, andthose of the second class being such as are permanently secureddirec'tly to the wall of the building. In mycase there is provided botha vertical movement and a 4horizontal swinging or rotating movement ofthe platform, the vertical supporting part of the mechanism providing avertical hinge or pivot-like guide, around'the axis of which theplatforml can freely vibrate orv rotate. The raising and loweringmechanism 'in this construction is so disposed that the ropes or otherparts constituting it do not in-A terfere with this free'horizontalmovement, the preferred way of accomplishing this being shown-that is,having the raising and loweringmechanism mounted directly on and lengthshorter than the distance between the support and the building, so thatit can, be

brought around to the direct line between them and then swung away toanother position, though in this respect there can be modiication,provided the essential features be preserved.

W`hile I herein show both a platform and ladders and refer to them byseparate terms, yet it will be understood that many of the features ofnovelty can be maintained, even though one of these be substituted forthe other.

That I claim is l. A. fire-escape havinga rising-and-falling platform, avertical support for said platform,

.which provides a vertical axis or hinge therefor, and is situated fromthe building a distance greater than that part of the platform.

which receives those escaping from the building, whereby said platformcan, while said support is stationary, be rotated horizontally from aposition between the support and building to a position outside thereof,and means for causing the rotation of the platform, substantially as setforth.

2. In a fire-escape,a rising-and-falling platform, a vertical 'supporttherefor, onefor more ladders secured to said platform, having theirreceiving ends on one side only of said support, and means for raisingand lowering said platform, the latter being connected with the supportby a vertical pivot or hinge, whereby it is adapted to have the saidladders turned to a position between the support and the building whilethe support is'statio'nary, and turned into a position outside thereofeither during or after the vertical movements of the platform, and meansfor causing the rotation of the platform, substantially as set forth..

3. In a fire-escape, the combination of a vertical support, arising-and-falling and horiy and lowering it, whereby the platform canbe moved both vertically and horizontally While the support isstationary, substantially as set forth.

4.' In a fire-escape, the combination of a vertical support, arising-and-falling platform on said support rotatable horizontally whilethe support is stationary, and mechanism mounted on the platform forraising and lowering it, substantially as set forth.

5. Ina fire-escape, the combination of a vertical support, arising-and-falling platform on said support rotatable horizontally whilethe support is stationary, mechanism for raising and lowering saidplatform, means for causing the rotation of the platform, and alook forfastening it in any desired vertical position, substantially as setforth.

6. In a iireescape,a rising-and-falling platform mounted upon a verticalpivot-like guide, said platform being free to rotate around the axis ofsaid guide while rising and falling, and means for causing,` therotation Yof the platform, substantially as set forth. n

7. In a lire-escape, the combination of a rising-and-falling platformand a vertical pivotlike guide for said platform and a raising andlowering mechanism connected at one or more points to said platform, andalso connected to a stationary-support, said mechanism bemg free torotate at both said places of connection around the axis of the saidpivot-guide, substantially as set forth.

8. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a vertical pivot-like guide,of a platform adapted to rotate thereon and a raising and loweringmechanism, also adapted to rotatel thereon, substantially as set forth.

9. In a fire-escape, the combination of a vertical support secured to orin the ground inl dependently of the building and a rising-andfallingplatform pivotally connected `to said.

support and free to swing toward and away from the building,substantially as set forth.

l0. In a fire-escape, the combination of a vertical support, arising-and-fallingplatform vertically pivoted to said support, a drum onsaid platform, a "rope extending upwardly from IOO 12. In a fire-escape,the combination of thev vertical support, the platform which rises andfalls and rotates freely onsaid support while the latter is stationary,and the inclined ladders secured to said platform andadapted to berotated therewith horizontally to a position between the support and thebuilding and then rotated into a position away therefrom, and meansforcausing the rotationof the platform, substantiallyas set forth.

13. In a tire-escape, the combination, vwith the main support having thevertical pivot, of the rising-and-falling platform having its receivingpart shorter than the distance from said pivot tothe building andconnected to the said support, as set forth, whereby it is free torotate continuously around said pivot, substantially as set forth.

14. In a. fire-escape, the combination, with stop for limiting the levermovenlensubstanro the 1isin5;andfalling platform, of the ladder .tiallyas described. projecting upwardly therefrom and provided In testimonywhereof I affix my signature in at the upper ends with theupwardly-projectpresence of two Witnesses.`

5 ing fender cr side guard adapted to stand at the Side of awindow',substantiallyas set forth. DANIEL KNOWLES'- 15. In a fire-escape, -thecombination, with l Witnesses: the rising-and-falling ladder, afriction-brake, JAMES ERWIN, the lever for releasing said brake, and thep C. E. STEWARD..

